Folder for sewing-machines.



J. BERGER, JR. FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC.6,1906.

1,2Q539 l 9, Patented May 15, 1917.

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fl J 1 75 3 1 \2 $5 I Q Q Q w 2 m kg Q 5?; QBL-L- 3 vwantoz s, BERGER, 1R. FOLDER FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6,1906.

Patented May15, 1917.

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JOSEPH BERGER, JR., OF UTICA, NEW YGR K, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MACHINE (10., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FOLDER, FOB. SEYVING-MACHINES.

Application filed December 6, 1906.

To (:ZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH BERGER, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Utica, in the county of Oneida, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folders for Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompany ing drawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to folders for fabrics and while said folder may be useful for various purposes, the same is especially adapted for folding a collaret so that the same is properly delivered to the stitch mechanism of a sewing machine, whereby said folded collaret is attached to a body fabric.

The object of my invention is to provide a folder of the character stated with a tension device which is capable of putting the edge of the folded strip under tension.

My invention consists in the novel parts and arrangements hereinafter shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the bed plate of a sewing machine showing my 1111- proved folder attached thereto, certaln parts of it being shown in section for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of my improved folder as seen from the rear side of the folder as positioned in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved folder.

Fig. 4 is anend elevation of the folder shown in Fig. 2 as viewed from the left.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of my tension spring.

Fig. 6 is a view showing the manner of folding the strip by my improved folder.

The bed plate 1 is of the usual construc .7. tion, and has cooperating therewith a presser .foot 2 earned by a presser bar 3, showing in section in Fig. 1 of the drawing. The upper feed member 4, the needles 5, and needle slot 6 are all of the usual construction and will not need further description. A thread carrying looper preferably cooperates with the needles 5. 5 beneath the fabric forming a cross stitching mechanism, but it will be obvious that any form of complemental stitch f rm aei n' m be used is wer Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Patented hklay 15, 1917. Serial No. 348,566.

tion with said needles. preferably slotted to form an opening within which mv improved folder is located, said folder being secured to the bed plate by screws 7, 7, which pass through slots 8, 8 in the supporting shank of the folder. My machine is preferably provided with an edge guide 9 for guiding the body fabric and said edge guide is adjustably secured to the bed plate by screws 10, 10 passing through slots 11, 11 in said guide 9.

My folder 12 is formed preferably by twospaced members 13, and 14 whichare sym metrically curved and are preferably joined forming in effect, one continuous piece. Said members 13 and 14 at the receiving end of the folder are but slightly curved so that the strip to be folded when received by the folder is substantially fiat. As said members however, approach the delivery end of the folder, they are brought closer and closer toward each other until the strip leading through said folder is folded upon itself. The outer edges of said members are also gradually turned back upon themselves as they approach the delivery end of the folder so that the strip to be folded as it leaves the folder is not only folded upon itself, but its outer or free edges are also again folded back upon the strip as shown clearly in Fig. 6. From the above description, it will be apparent that I have provided a folding attachment which comprises a body member 13 and a casing member 14, which overlaps the body member and is spaced therefrom to allow the binding strip to pass betwen said body member and easing member. These members are so shaped, as above noted, as to effectively fold the strip centrally thereof.

After leaving the folder, the strip is inverted and led in a direction substantially at right angles to the line of feed of the strip through the folder. In order that this inverting of the strip may be accomplished, the delivery end of the folder is formed substantially at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the folder. As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the forward end of my folder is inclined substantially at an angle of degrees to the longitudinal axis of the folder and the folded strip as it leaves said folder is led off from the folder in a line at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the said folder. The result of this movement of the strip from the folder, as shown in Fig. 6, is to re- The bed plate is,

verse the fold which has been formed by the folder laying the outwardly turned edges properly upon the body fabric for stitching.

The member 13 of my folder at its delivery end is provided with a rounded edge 15, over which the strip being folded is drawn, and the outer extremities of said edge 13 are formed with hook shaped members 16 and 17, which serve to properly position the strip 18 which is being folded. That is to say, the edge of the binding strip is limited so that variations in the edge of the binding strip are avoided. From the above construction, it will be noted that the folder is designed to receive a binding strip of elastic material having non-selvage edges, and said folder will turn in the edges of the strip as well as fold and reverse the strip, so as to present the turned-in edges to the top and bottom surfaces of the material being faced. Heretofore, in the use of folders and bind ers, it has been usually necessary to first prepare the binding strip, cutting the same in suitable widths and then passing the cut strip through suitable means, by which the raw edges of the strip are turned and pressed down, so that the strip is entirely prepared before it is passed to the folder, which merely folds the strip upon the work to be faced or bound.

By my improved construction, however, this preliminary preparation of the binding strip is entirely done away with, and by a single folding means, or a single passing of the binding strip through the folder, the preliminary preparation as well as ,the proper folding of the strip, is secured.

Adjacent to the delivery end of my folder, I have cut away the folding members 13 and 1 1, as at 19 and 20, so that the outer folded edge of the strip passing through the folder is exposed. A tension member 21 having an opening 22 on one end resting upon a supporting bracket 23, is forked at its other end, forming fingers 24; and 25, which rest upon the folded edges of the strip passing through the folder at the points 19 and 20. Said member 21 is placed under tension by means of a spring 26, which encircles a post 27, and engages a screw 28 at one end, while the other end of the spring 26 engages said tension member.

lVhen it is desired to increase the tension on the strip passing through the folder, the screw 28 is turned down upon the post 27. By placing the edge of the collaret or strip being folded under proper tension, 1 am able to stretch the edges of the folded strip and this stretching of the edge causes the finished product to curve, forming what it known as the circular neck.

While I have shown the tension member as bearing on the folded edges of the fabric, it will be obvious that said member could be so arranged as to bear on the fabric at 21 point near the edge. It will also be obvious that my invention is not necessarily limited to a folder which folds the outer edge, as one or even both of the edges may be flat and unfolded. When the edge is flat and unfolded, it is usually covered with cross stitching. Again only one finger may be used placing a tension on only one of the edges.

It is obvious that various minor changes in the details of the construction may be made, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip upon itself and inverting said fold, of a tension member independent of the folder, said member being constructed and arranged to bear solely on the edges of the strip, as the strip is passin through the folder.

2. The combination with a folder having means for folding the strip and turning in its edges, a tension member having a forked end bearing upon the folded edges of the strip passing through said folder; substan tially as described.

3. The combination with a folder having means for folding the strip and turning in its edges, a tension member, a bracket carried by said folder and supporting one end of said tension member, the other end of said tension member bearing upon the folded edges of the strip passing through said folder, and means for holding said tension member on said strip; substantially as described.

4. The combination with a folder having means for folding the strip and turning in its edges, a tension member, a bracket secured to said folder and supporting one end of said member, the other end of said tension member being forked and bearing upon said strip passing through said folder and means for placing said member under tension; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a folder having means for folding the strip and turning in its edges, a tension. member independent of the folder, a bracket located near the receiving end of said folder and forming a support for said tension member, the other end of said tension member extending to a pointadjacent the delivery end of said folder and bearing on the fabric passing therethrough and means for placing said member under tension; substantially as described.

6. The combination with a folder having means for folding the strip and turning in its edges, a tension member, a bracket located near the receiving end of said folder and forming asupport for said tension member, the other end of said tension member extending to a point adjacent the delivery end of said folder and bearing on the fabric passing therethrough, a post carried by said folder and extending through an opening in said tension member, a spring encircling said post and bearing on said tension member, and a thumb screw adjustably secured to said post and engaging said spring; substantially as described.

7 The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip and. turning in its edges, openings formed near the delivery end of said folder, a tension member having fingers resting in said openings and means for placing said member under tension; substantially as described.

8. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip and turning in its edges. openings formed near the delivery end of said folder, a tension member having fingers at one end located in said openings, a bracket for supporting the other end of said tension member, and means for placing said member under tension; substantially as described.

9. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip and turning in its edges, openings formed near the delivery end of said folder, a tension member having fingers at one end located in the openings in said folder, a bracket supporting the other end of said member, and means intermediate the bracket and the openings in said folder for placing said member under tension; substantially as described.

10. The combination with stitch forming mechanism of a folder, means for adjustably supporting said folder, an edge guide, means for adjustably supporting said edge guide, said folder being provided with means for placing the strip passing therethrough, under tension; substantially as described.

11. The combination with a guiding device having means for folding a strip-of fabric on itself, folding the edges of the fabric and inverting said folded strip, of a tension device independent of the guiding device and constructed and arranged to bear solely upon the folded edges of the folded strip, as the strip is passing through the folder.

12. The combination with a. guiding d.e vice having means for folding the fabric on itself, an adjustable yielding tension device carried on said folding device and bearing on the folded strip adiacent the edges there of, with means to adiust the tension; substantially as described.

13. The combination of a folder having means for folding a strip upon itself and means for turning said strip inside out, of a tension device located adjacent the parts of the folder for guiding the edges of the fabric being folded and adjacent the delivery end of the folder, the said tension device engaging the strip being folded for placing a tension on the edges of a strip.

14. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip upon itself and means for turning said strip inside out, of a tension device acting upon the outside portion of the edges of said folded strip; substantially as described.

15. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip of elastic fabric and inverting said fold, of means independent of the folding means operating only upon the free edges of the strip for stretching said free edges, whereby a curved edge may have a binding strip secured thereto.

16. The combination with a folder having means for folding a strip of fabric on itself, folding the edges of the fabric and inverting said folded strip, of means independent of the folding means operating only upon the free folded edges of the strip for stretching said folded edges of the strip, whereby a curved edge may have a binding strip secured thereto.

17. The combination with stitching mechanism of a folder having substantially parallel guiding walls which are U-shaped in cross section, the outer ends of said walls being bent outwardly and backwardly, so as to fold the edges of the strip outwardly and backwardly upon the outer portion thereof, the delivery end of said folder being formed on a line cutting the longitudinal axis of the folder at substantially forty-five degrees, whereby the strip as it leaves the folder may be inverted.

18. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a folder, means for supporting said folder with its longitudinal axis substantially at right angles to the line of stitching, said folder comprising substantially continuous guiding walls adapted to guide a binding strip, said guiding walls at the delivery end thereof being shaped so that said strip may be inverted as it is led from the folder to the stitching mechanism, said guiding walls of the folder between the receiving and delivering ends thereof having means for turning the edges of the strip outwardly and backwardly upon the strip, whereby when said strip is inverted said edges will be brought between the inner side faces of the binding strip.

19. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, of a folder, means for supporting said folder with its longitudinal axis substantially at right angles to the line of stitching, said folder comprising substantially continuous guiding walls adapted to guide a binding strip, said guiding walls at the delivery end thereof being shaped so that said strip may be inverted as it is led from. the folder to the stitching mehcanism,

said guiding walls of the folder between the receiving and delivering ends thereof having means for turning the edges of the strip outwardly and baokwardly upon the strip, whereby when said strip is inverted said edges will be brought between the inner side faces of the binding strip, said folder between its receiving" and delivering ends including means for folding the binding strip between its edges whereby said bind.- ing strip may be led into the receiving end of the folder in a substantially flat vertical position.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for 20. A folding device comprising a body portion having at one end hem-turning devices, in combination with a tension device for operating upon the folds of the binding, and means for adjusting said tension device.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. Tnos. HAYES, ELEANOR T. DE GIoRGr.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

